Leonard Bernstein(August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was a multi-Emmy and Grammy award-winning and Academy Award nominated American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim. He is perhaps best known for his long conducting relationship with the New York Philharmonic, which included the acclaimed Young People’s Concert Series, and also for his compositions, which include the musical theater works West Side Story, Candide, and On The Town. Bernstein was the first classical music conductor to make numerous television appearances, perhaps more than any other classical conductor, all between 1954 and 1989. Additionally, he had a formidable piano technique and was a highly respected composer.
Arnold Schoenberg (September 13, 1874 – July 13, 1951) was an Austrian and later American composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School. He was considered the pioneer of atonal music. During the rise of the Nazi party in Austria, his music was labeled, alongside swing and jazz, as degenerate art. In the 1920s, he developed the twelve tone technique, a widely influential compositional method of manipulating an ordered series of all twelve notes in the chromatic scale. Schoenberg's approach, both in terms of harmony and development, is among the major landmarks of 20th century musical thought; at least three generations of composers in the European and American traditions have consciously extended his thinking and, in some cases, passionately reacted against it.
He was also a painter.
Franz Liszt(October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a world-famous Hungarian composer, composer, virtuoso pianist and teacher. Liszt became renowned throughout Europe during the 19th century for his great skill as a performer. He is said to have been the most technically advanced and perhaps greatest pianist of all time. He was also an important and influential composer, a notable piano teacher, a conductor who contributed significantly to the modern development of the art, and a benefactor to other composers and performers, notablyWagner, Berlioz, Saint-Seans and Greig. He is known for his piano works, and the development of the “Symphonic Poem” an orchestral work that depicted a story, or setting.
Scott Joplin(November 24, 1868-April 1, 1917), American composer and pianist, one of the most important developers of ragtime music. Born in Texarkana, Tex., Joplin taught himself piano as a child, learning classical music from a German neighbor. In his teens he became an itinerant pianist in the low-life districts that provided the chief employment for black musicians. He settled in Saint Louis in 1885. In 1893 he played at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and in 1894 he moved to Sedalia, Mo. There he published (1899) his "Original Rags" and "Maple Leaf Rag" and opened a teaching studio. He moved to New York City in 1907. In 1911, at his own expense, he published his ragtime opera Treemonisha, a work intended to go beyond ragtime to create an indigenous black American opera. Staged in a concert version in 1915, it failed with the audience, leaving the composer's spirit permanently broken.Joplin's music underwent a great revival after some of his compositions, including "The Entertainer" (1902), were used as the background music in the film The Sting (1973), and Treemonisha was staged with success in 1975 by the Houston Grand Opera. Other Joplin compositions include "Peacherine Rag" (1901), "Palm Leaf Rag--A Slow Drag" (1903), "Euphonic Sounds" (1909), The School of Ragtime: Six Exercises for Piano (1909), a work that contains his explanation of ragtime style, and "Magnetic Rag" (1914). G.V., GENEVIEVE VAUGHN, B.A.
Ludwig van Beethoven (December 16, 1770 - March 26, 1827). Beethoven is probably the most popular classical composer of all time. He was the first musician to work for himself. He wrote nine symphonies including his famous Fifth Symphony, and Nineth Symphony. His nineth symphony, which includes "Ode To Joy" was written when he was totally deaf. Another popular piece is his "Fur Elise".
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart(January 27, 1756 - December 5, 1791) was one of the two most important composers of the "classical" era. He was a child prodogy. Mozart began composing music when he was just five years old. His father, Leopold, who was his teacher took him and his older sister, Nannyl on tour throughout europe. Mozart wrote many types of music including opera. He died at age thirty-five, and there are many stories about his death.
George Frederic Handel(February 23, 1685 - April 14, 1759) was a German composer of the Baroque era. He is most famous for his "oratorios", including the "Messiah", which includes the famous "Halelujah Chorus".
William "Smokey" Robinson( February 19, 1940) was the lead singer for the 60's band, "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles".
Besides being a singer, he was vice President for Motown Records. He also produced and wrote songs for many Motown artists.
Franz Joseph Haydn (March 31, 1732 - May 31, 1809) Austrian classical composer. He was know as "Papa Haydn" to his musicians in the Hungarian court. He is called the "Father of the Symphony and string quartet". He was a friend of Mozart and teacher of Beethoven. He wrote 106 symphonies. The Suprise Symphony and the Farewell Symphony are two of his most famous works.
Bobby McFarren(March 11, 1950 ) was born in New York, USA. His father was the first African-American to sing with the New York Met. He is best known for his creative use of vocal tone color.
Musician of the Month
Leonard Bernstein (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was a multi-Emmy and Grammy award-winning and Academy Award nominated American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim. He is perhaps best known for his long conducting relationship with the New York Philharmonic, which included the acclaimed Young People’s Concert Series, and also for his compositions, which include the musical theater works West Side Story, Candide, and On The Town. Bernstein was the first classical music conductor to make numerous television appearances, perhaps more than any other classical conductor, all between 1954 and 1989. Additionally, he had a formidable piano technique and was a highly respected composer.
Arnold Schoenberg (September 13, 1874 – July 13, 1951) was an Austrian and later American composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School. He was considered the pioneer of atonal music. During the rise of the Nazi party in Austria, his music was labeled, alongside swing and jazz, as degenerate art. In the 1920s, he developed the twelve tone technique, a widely influential compositional method of manipulating an ordered series of all twelve notes in the chromatic scale. Schoenberg's approach, both in terms of harmony and development, is among the major landmarks of 20th century musical thought; at least three generations of composers in the European and American traditions have consciously extended his thinking and, in some cases, passionately reacted against it.
He was also a painter.
Franz Liszt (October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a world-famous Hungarian composer, composer, virtuoso pianist and teacher.
Liszt became renowned throughout Europe during the 19th century for his great skill as a performer. He is said to have been the most technically advanced and perhaps greatest pianist of all time. He was also an important and influential composer, a notable piano teacher, a conductor who contributed significantly to the modern development of the art, and a benefactor to other composers and performers, notablyWagner, Berlioz, Saint-Seans and Greig.
He is known for his piano works, and the development of the “Symphonic Poem” an orchestral work that depicted a story, or setting.
Scott Joplin (November 24, 1868-April 1, 1917), American composer and pianist, one of the most important developers of ragtime music. Born in Texarkana, Tex., Joplin taught himself piano as a child, learning classical music from a German neighbor. In his teens he became an itinerant pianist in the low-life districts that provided the chief employment for black musicians. He settled in Saint Louis in 1885. In 1893 he played at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and in 1894 he moved to Sedalia, Mo. There he published (1899) his "Original Rags" and "Maple Leaf Rag" and opened a teaching studio. He moved to New York City in 1907. In 1911, at his own expense, he published his ragtime opera Treemonisha, a work intended to go beyond ragtime to create an indigenous black American opera. Staged in a concert version in 1915, it failed with the audience, leaving the composer's spirit permanently broken.Joplin's music underwent a great revival after some of his compositions, including "The Entertainer" (1902), were used as the background music in the film The Sting (1973), and Treemonisha was staged with success in 1975 by the Houston Grand Opera. Other Joplin compositions include "Peacherine Rag" (1901), "Palm Leaf Rag--A Slow Drag" (1903), "Euphonic Sounds" (1909), The School of Ragtime: Six Exercises for Piano (1909), a work that contains his explanation of ragtime style, and "Magnetic Rag" (1914). G.V., GENEVIEVE VAUGHN, B.A.
Ludwig van Beethoven (December 16, 1770 - March 26, 1827). Beethoven is probably the most popular classical composer of all time. He was the first musician to work for himself. He wrote nine symphonies including his famous Fifth Symphony, and Nineth Symphony. His nineth symphony, which includes "Ode To Joy" was written when he was totally deaf. Another popular piece is his "Fur Elise".
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (January 27, 1756 - December 5, 1791) was one of the two most important composers of the "classical" era. He was a child prodogy. Mozart began composing music when he was just five years old. His father, Leopold, who was his teacher took him and his older sister, Nannyl on tour throughout europe. Mozart wrote many types of music including opera. He died at age thirty-five, and there are many stories about his death.
George Frederic Handel (February 23, 1685 - April 14, 1759) was a German composer of the Baroque era. He is most famous for his "oratorios", including the "Messiah", which includes the famous "Halelujah Chorus".
William "Smokey" Robinson ( February 19, 1940) was the lead singer for the 60's band, "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles".
Besides being a singer, he was vice President for Motown Records. He also produced and wrote songs for many Motown artists.
Franz Joseph Haydn (March 31, 1732 - May 31, 1809) Austrian classical composer. He was know as "Papa Haydn" to his musicians in the Hungarian court. He is called the "Father of the Symphony and string quartet". He was a friend of Mozart and teacher of Beethoven. He wrote 106 symphonies. The Suprise Symphony and the Farewell Symphony are two of his most famous works.
Bobby McFarren (March 11, 1950 ) was born in New York, USA. His father was the first African-American to sing with the New York Met. He is best known for his creative use of vocal tone color.